Like a spa, a jacuzzi is equipped with integrated jets that provide warmth, relaxation and a massaging effect on muscles and joints. They are both used for therapeutic and relaxation reasons. In the early 1960s and early 1970s, hot tubs were made from wood, including cedar, redwood, cypress, teak, or a composite. In the mid-1970s, state-of-the-art portable acrylic hot tubs were introduced to the market, replacing wooden tubs.
Jacuzzi or Spa?
Today, the terms jacuzzi and spa are interchangeable. Both describe a large tub that is used for relaxation, hydrotherapy, warmth and entertainment. Both have built-in jets to target sore muscles in swimmers. Basically there are two types of hot tubs and spas: portable or inflatable and custom or built-in. Portable models can accommodate two to eight adults at most. These can be latex or inflatable vinyl, which is generally less expensive, fiberglass, acrylic, polyethylene or some other type of plastic. Some hot tubs are constructed from traditional wood or even from recycled materials, such as metal tubs or barrels.
Inground or custom styles are most often referred to as hot tubs. They can be attached to an in-ground pool or adjacent to a pool and designed to be a hot and cold type of experience or a workout and relaxation type of experience.
Others are freestanding bathtubs, but installed in the floor or made to measure. Some are heavy-duty (non-inflatable) portable models from high-end manufacturers that sit in the ground or can be set up on a raised platform, sometimes under a pergola. Others are custom-built and often made from the same materials as swimming pools, such as concrete, fiberglass, as well as stainless steel, tile or copper. Some spas are customized with a pool and are located within the pool itself, making it easier to get the heat from the tub in and out to the cooler pool waters.
